'Toy Story 5' Review: The toys are timely and timeless

It’s been seven years since Toy Story 4, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the fifth installment ever since it was announced. I always knew it was going to be good; the question was always how good. Pretty darn good is the answer. While it doesn’t quite match up to the first three films in the series–those entries are so strong that it’s hard to compare anything to them–I would comfortably rank Toy Story 5 above the fourth film, which was already great in its own right. That’s because this film strikes upon a greater, more satisfying story, as well as a tone that relates to much of today’s lifestyle. I haven’t ever said this about a movie before, but Toy Story 5 feels timely. It mirrors the way the modern world operates while showing a hopeful path forward. Overall, it is just exceptionally well handled.

Toy Story 5 immediately stands out over the fourth installment because it feels like classic Toy Story again. Toy Story 4, while telling a genuinely endearing tale about Woody’s purpose after moving on from Andy, simultaneously got bogged down in a repetitive antique store setting. It felt very one-note, shying away from our favorite regular characters. Toy Story 5, on the other hand, reinvigorates the franchise by shifting focus back to the kids while retaining the character growth of the toys, placing them in more situations akin to the first three series films.

This time around, Jessie and Bullseye take center stage. The plot lines and sequencing converge naturally. Buzz is back to being competent after a period of acting foolish. And while the traditional, mainline characters are once again sidelined, it is far less egregious than in Toy Story 4; they still play a decent role in the story here, whereas they sat around doing absolutely nothing in the previous movie. I have softened my stance on relegating these characters to more minor roles because I honestly do find it more valuable to introduce new characters and personalities to the stories. This keeps the franchise fresh rather than allowing it to lazily fall back on what has already worked before without meaningfully growing.

The story totally backs up these creative choices through the narrative direction it decides to take. With Jessie as the lead, the film brilliantly intertwines her character arc and Toy Story 2 backstory with the development and rise of the digital age. The premise is delivered in a heavy-handed way, but the writing takes a very nuanced take on it all; it does not revert to a binary conclusion where devices are deemed either entirely acceptable or strictly harmful. Instead, it accurately addresses the sucking effect of screens, their subsequent emotional and social impacts, and, surprisingly, how they can accelerate childhood maturity. Still, technology never devolves into a full villain. The story leans more in the direction of how these tools should be used, not whether they should be used at all. Toy Story 5 ultimately tells a very unifying message through this about the building of real-world bonds and friendships, and how there are no digital cheat codes for human connection, no matter what technology wants you to think.

The comedy in Toy Story 5 is at an all-time high. Conan O’Brien’s character is the total splash-hit, portraying a digital potty trainer. As you might expect, the bathroom humor he delivers is immaculate. The script is actually littered with jokes, in fact, and they all land. This had a high chance of disrupting key moments with poorly timed, unfunny gags, but they all work excellently. The film even adds in unique visual segments showcasing how toys experience playtime. Every comedic angle they pull from works very well, hammering the central narrative home effectively.

I’m sure that I will revisit Toy Story 5 countless times, just as I have with the rest of this series. It’s not as novel as Toy Story 1, as thrilling as Toy Story 2, as emotionally resonant as Toy Story 3, or as visually striking as Toy Story 4, but it is the most relatable, and consequently most impactful in that regard. Did Woody even need to be here? No, but he was still an essential addition to fully maintain the Toy Story feel. Really, all of the toys here are so special, and all have their moments. Toy Story 5 is simply another phenomenal, hilarious, heartfelt entry to what I firmly believe is the best original film franchise of all time.